Building Community One Game At A Time: My Game Recommendations

I love board games—strategy games, party games, co-op challenges, short games, long games, and everything in between. While LinkedIn is a platform built around professional growth, networking, and leadership, I’d argue that games have a place here too.

Building connection and community matters—especially in today’s hybrid and remote environments. Games provide a low-stakes way to bond, laugh, collaborate, and even problem-solve together. They’ve been a major part of my life since family game nights growing up, but I’ve seen the impact they can have on a team too.

When our fully remote sales team finally met in person last year, we canceled a night out, bought a bunch of games, and just played. It was the best decision. We ended up bringing that same approach to TouchPoint Summit, our annual users conference. The result? Genuine connection and a lot of fun.

So, if you're looking to build relationships in your team—or just want a new game for family night—here are some of my favorites. I've excluded classics like Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Risk (I assume you’ve already played those). These picks span styles, lengths, and levels of intensity. I hope you find a hidden gem.

🎴 Card Games

1. Sushi Go!

• Price: ~$10

• Players: 2–5

• Time: 15 min

• Ages: 8+ Buy on Amazon

Ok, maybe you’re not a sushi fan—but even if you’re not, it’s hard to resist the charm of this adorable, fast-paced card drafting game. Each round, you choose one card to keep from your hand and pass the rest to your neighbor, trying to build the highest-scoring meal of maki rolls, tempura, and sashimi. The mechanics are simple but strategic, and the artwork is just plain fun. Bonus: it comes in a travel-friendly tin, which makes it perfect for road trips, conferences, or your carry-on.

2. Happy Salmon

• Price: ~$13

• Players: 3–8

• Time: 90 seconds per round

• Ages: 6+ Buy on Amazon

This game is chaos in the best way. Everyone shouts the action on their card—“High Five!” “Fish Bump!” “Switch It Up!” “Happy Salmon!”—and frantically tries to find someone else with a matching card to act it out before moving on. It's quick, ridiculous, and guaranteed to get people laughing (and probably a little sweaty). Great as a high-energy icebreaker, especially after a long day of meetings or training.

3. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

• Price: ~$10

• Players: 2–8

• Time: 10 min

• Ages: 7+ Buy on Amazon

Repeat after me: Taco. Cat. Goat. Cheese. Pizza. Players take turns saying the next word in the sequence while flipping a card—but if the card matches the word, everyone slaps the pile. The last person to slap takes the stack. It sounds easy, but your brain will betray you more than once, especially when the special action cards like Narwhal, Gorilla or Groundhog appear. It's quick, goofy, and surprisingly intense.

🧠 Word Games

4. Codenames

• Price: ~$15

• Players: 4+ (2 teams)

• Time: 15–30 min

• Ages: 10+ Buy on Amazon

Codenames is a battle of wits and word association. You split into two teams, and one person on each team becomes the spymaster, giving one-word clues to help their team guess the right “agents” on the board. The trick is avoiding the innocent bystanders, the enemy team’s agents, or worse—the assassin. I love how this game builds trust and sharpens communication skills. It’s also a great way to learn how your coworkers or friends think (and just how wildly different your brains might be).

5. Poetry for Neanderthals

• Price: ~$20

• Players: 2+

• Time: 15 min

• Ages: 7+ Buy on Amazon

It’s Taboo—but make it caveman. Your mission: get your team to guess the word on your card using only one-syllable words. Mess up and say anything too complex? You get bopped with an inflatable club. Yes, really. It’s absurd and hilarious, especially when people start grunting like actual Neanderthals. One of the best parts of this game is watching your group try to simplify their vocabulary while still making sense—it’s way harder (and funnier) than it sounds. Go buy game now!

🤝 Cooperative Games

6. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle

• Price: ~$45

• Players: 2–4

• Time: 30+ min per school year

• Ages: 11+ Buy on Amazon

This one is a magical experience—literally. You and your teammates play as Harry, Ron, Hermione, or Neville, teaming up to defeat dark forces across seven progressively harder chapters. It’s a deck-building game, so your character grows stronger with each level, gaining spells, items, and allies. I love how it starts off simple so you can ease into the gameplay before things get really intense. Whether you’re a Harry Potter fan or just love a good co-op game with escalating difficulty, this is a gem.

7. Pandemic

• Price: ~$30

• Players: 2–4

• Time: 45 min

• Ages: 8+ Buy on Amazon

Pandemic is a global crisis simulation where you and your team are scientists racing to contain four deadly diseases before time runs out. You’ll need to work together, plan several moves ahead, and make tough decisions as outbreaks threaten to spiral out of control. I played this for the first time in January 2020—not knowing how real it was about to get. Timing aside, it’s one of the best cooperative games for fostering teamwork, urgency, and strategic thinking. Great for groups that want a challenge and a shared mission.

🧩 Strategy Games

8. Here to Slay

• Price: ~$20

• Players: 2–6

• Time: 30–60 min

• Ages: 10+ Buy on Amazon

If you like strategy but want something lighthearted and visually fun, Here to Slay might be your new favorite. You build a party of fantasy heroes (adorably illustrated) and aim to either slay three monsters or collect one of each class to win. There’s enough decision-making and player interaction to keep things spicy, but it’s not overwhelming or too long. Bonus: if you’ve tried Unstable Unicorns and found it chaotic (like my wife did), this one keeps the charm while feeling way more balanced and enjoyable.

9. Disney Villainous

• Price: ~$35

• Players: 2–6

• Time: 60 min

• Ages: 10+ Buy on Amazon

Calling all Disney fans—this one’s for you. In Villainous, each player takes on the role of a classic Disney villain, complete with their own objectives, abilities, and “Fate” deck filled with pesky heroes sent to ruin your plans. It’s a semi-independent game, so you’re focused on your board but still have chances to sabotage your opponents. I’m borderline obsessed with this one, not just because of the gameplay but also because of how faithfully it brings each villain’s world to life. And yes, if Disney isn’t your thing, there are Star Wars and Marvel versions that are equally well-designed (just a bit more complex).

10. Splendor

• Price: ~$35

• Players: 2–4

• Time: 40 min

• Ages: 10+ Buy on Amazon

Splendor is one of those games that feels soothing and intense at the same time. You’re a gem merchant on the Silk Road, collecting tokens to buy cards and eventually earn favor from nobles. It’s a resource management game that’s easy to learn but rewards long-term planning and combo-building. I got this for my birthday and it quickly became my go-to. Between the tactile tokens and the gorgeous art, it’s just satisfying to play—and perfect for a more relaxed, quiet evening.

🎲 Dice Games

11. Mountain Goats

• Price: ~$20

• Players: 2–4

• Time: 20 min

• Ages: 7+ Buy on Amazon

This game is proof that simple doesn’t mean boring. You roll dice to move your goats up different mountains, scoring points if you’re the first to the top—but beware, only one goat per peak! Others can knock you off with their own roll, which adds just enough tension to keep things fun. My niece and nephew love this one, and it’s become a favorite in our family game bag. It’s quick to set up, teaches basic strategy and numbers, and encourages just enough friendly competition to keep everyone engaged.

12. Biscuits

• Price: ~$15

• Players: 1+

• Time: 5 minutes per person

• Ages: 7+ Buy on Glue Bunny Games

Apparently this game has another name in the wild (a slightly less PG one), but we’ll stick with Biscuits for now. You roll different-sized and -numbered dice, trying to get the lowest score while managing your rerolls wisely. It seems simple at first, but once you realize when to push your luck and when to hold, the strategy really comes out. It’s fast, family-friendly, and works solo or with a group—great for a warm-up game or tournament-style rotation.

🛤️ Deep Cut

13. Rail Baron

• Price: Varies (try secondhand or collector sites)

• Players: 3–6

• Time: 2+ hours

• Ages: 10+ BoardGameGeek Page

This is a deep cut from my childhood—and I mean deep. Rail Baron is a vintage railroad game that mixes travel, economics, and historical U.S. geography. You make trips, earn money, and buy real railway lines as you crisscross the country trying to build your empire. It’s long, yes, but also rich with nostalgia. I used to play this game by myself with stuffed animals filling in as other players. It’s not flashy or fast-paced, but it’s one of the games that made me fall in love with maps, strategy, and story-driven play. If you ever see it at a thrift store or garage sale—grab it!

♟️ Let’s Connect Over Games

Whether you're trying to foster team connection, bring joy to family night, or just discover your next favorite game, I hope something here sparked your interest. These games are more than just fun—they create shared experiences, invite collaboration, and remind us that play is a powerful tool for building community.

What games are you loving right now? Drop your favorites—I’m always looking for new ones to try.